Birth Stories

A Mother's Day reminiscence

“ ‘Just one more time’ . . . I begged my husband to let us try this experimental procedure called in-vitro fertilization just one more time. Twenty-three years ago, the number of successful IVF births was measured in the hundreds and the number of babies born using frozen embryos could be counted on one hand. Meet my daughter, Jamie, the product of my ‘one more time’ plea, the fourth baby born in the Delaware Valley by in-vitro fertilization using a frozen embryo. After three ectopic pregnancies, multiple miscarriages and many failed in-vitro attempts, Jamie was not only a medical miracle but a miracle to my husband and me.” —Carrie W.

“Thirteen years ago I found out I was having twins. I am a twin, and I always complained to my poor mom that I had to share everything, even my birthday. Well, my girls had a plan of their own. First they surprised us 11 weeks early, and then when one decided it was time to meet the world, the other decided she liked the newly created space and hung out for another 15 hours. Because of this my girls each have their own birthday. I knew I was a mom because I was so happy about this, regardless of the extra time and pain. And today they have a great birthday story to tell.” —Colleen G.

“I was 33 weeks pregnant and sleeping was so uncomfortable, I decided to go pillow shopping to help me sleep better. On display at the mall was the Tony Little workout machine, the one that makes you do scissor kicks. Somehow, despite my being a 25-year-old nurse, I thought it would be fun to try and didn't foresee any complications. So I jumped up on the machine, did 10 or so kicks and then went back to pillow shopping. About two minutes later my water suddenly broke in the middle of JC Penney. I stood there in shock, not believing what had just happened. We drove to the hospital, where my baby Morris was born six weeks early. From the moment I heard his strong cry I called him ‘Champ.’ He spent 13 days in the NICU, but since the day he was born he has been the most athletic person I know.” —Rachel E.

“With 17 inches of still-falling snow on the ground, we drove to the hospital at 11pm in a low-riding Honda coupe. We had to stop at every intersection to dig it out.” —Una M.

“After giving birth the nurse came into our room to say I needed to get some rest and she was going to take my daughter so I could sleep. I said, ‘Don’t even think about taking her . . . I’ve waited all my life for this day. I can sleep any other time.’ It was my Christmas day in June.” —Mapi V.

“For my last birth, my third, I started having contractions at noon. When I went to the doctor at 6pm, she said I was 1cm and sent me home. At 8:53 we left our house (once our babysitter got there to watch our other kids). I walked into the ER, was brought up to L&D . . . and my water broke in the bathroom. They rushed me to the table and my baby girl was born at 9:14pm, just 21 minutes after leaving our house. No doctor in the room (the nurse caught her). I wasn’t hooked up to any machines. Thankfully, we were all set to deliver at the nearest hospital or else I’d be one of those stories on the news where the mom gives birth in the car.” —Tara K.

“I knew the moment I became a mom even before I gave birth to my son. I broke my ankle and had surgery (without being put under) when I was six months pregnant. I was not able to walk till about four to five weeks after I delivered, and the only thing I thought about the whole time was making sure my baby was safe. I then had complications with the pregnancy and had to have an emergency C-section. Once again, I didn’t care what happened to me — I just wanted to make sure my baby boy was going to be OK.” —Jennifer P.